Writing utensil



May 17, 1966 E. N. DORNA ETAL WRITING UTENS IL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26, 1964 INVENTOR E mo fl olba 1mm BY Waar J m/ ork.

May 17, 1966 E. N. DORNA ET AL WRITING UTENSIL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1964 BY OJcu J nina-1.1

United States Patent 3,251,344. WRITING UTENSIL Edmundo N. Dorna and Oscar Santacruz, both of Aguero 1813/17, Florida, Buenos Aires, Argentina Filed June 26, 1964, Ser. No. 378,104 1 Claim. (Cl. 120-421) Our present invention relates to certain new anduseful improvements in ball point pens, and more particularly refers to a combined ball point pen and fountain pen.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel writing utensil having one end portion constituting a fountain pen of substantially known construction and the opposite end portion removably connected to said one end portion and constructed as a ball point pen consisting of an ink tank provided with an ink outlet portion and with a writing ball arranged in the mouth of said outlet portion, a tank holder for said ink tank and a safety cap removably disposed on said tank holder and operatively connected with said ink tank for axially moving the latter in said tank holder and for adjusting the position of the ball-carrying mouth of said ink tank with regard to the free end of said safety cap.

Thus the invention advantageously combines two writing utensils in one which enables the user to selectively write with the fountain pen and with the ball point pen.

In accordance with another advantageous feature of the invention, the ball point pen portion of the writing utensil is considerably simplified in its construction insofar as the spring-load knob as usually provided at the rear end of the known ball point pens for operating ink tank with the writing ball from the operative to the inoperative position and vice versa, has been eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel writing utensil constituted by a combined fountain pen and ball point pen and comprisingan ink tank provided with an ink outlet portion and with a writing ball arranged in the mouth of said outlet portion, a tank holder con taining said ink tank, stop means arranged between the latter and said tank holder for limiting axial displacements of the ink tank in the tank holder, and a safety cap rotatively arranged on said tank holder and operatively connected with said ink tank conveniently by means of cooperating screW-threaded portions of said tank and said cap for adjusting the position of said writing ball between the limits of said axial displacements of said ink tank.

The stop means for limiting the axial displacements of the said ink tank Within the said tank holder conveniently consist of a lateral projection provided on said ink tank and of. a longitudinal groove and of an opening provided in the said tank holder, said groove conveniently connecting said hole with the rear end of said tank holder which is made of a somewhat elastic material and allows for introducing from the rear end said ink .tank into said tank holder in which operation the said lateral projection of the ink tank is caused to slide along the groove into the said opening of said tank holder, this opening having a cross sectional area longer than that of said lateral projection of the ink tank.

The present invention will now be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention and whereon:

FIG. 1 is a partly sectional view of the writing utensil according to the-invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ink tank of the ball point pen portion of the writing utensil as shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tank holder.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are longitudinal cross sections of different embodiments of the stepped sleeve member.

Having reference to the accompanying drawing, the

combined writing utensil in accordance with the invention comprises a fountain pen portion A and a ball point pen portion B. The two pen portions A and B of which the fountain pen A is of any known structure, are removably connected to one another by means of a stepped sleeve member 1 having an externally screw-threaded sleeve portion of smaller diameter to be screwed into the internally screw-threaded end of: the casing 2 of the fountain pen portion A, whereas the sleeve portion of larger diameter is slightly cone shape and has an even outer surface capable of receiving and retaining under frictional pressure a safety cap 3 forming part of the ball point pen portion B of the combined writing utensil.

The safety cap 3 according to the invention has a reinforced front end 4 provided with an internally screwthreaded axial bore 5. Y

The screw-threaded bore 5 of the safety cap-3 engages corresponding screw-threads 6 provided on an outlet portion 7 of an ink tank 8 which in the mouth 9 of said outlet portion 7 carries the writing ball 8 secured in place in the usual known manner, the arrangement being such that when the safety cap 3 is operated by hand so as to rotate in one and the opposite direction, the ink tank 8 is displaced outwards or inwards to its operative writing position or to its withdrawn inoperative position, respectively. This arrangement is advantageous insofar as it enables the writing ball 9 to be adjusted at any desired position to best suit the users requirements.

Instead of engaging the sleeve member 1 by friction, the rear end of the safety cap 3 may also be internally screw-threaded and engage corresponding screw threads provided on the larger portion of said sleeve as shown in FIG. 4. In this case the co-operating screw threads of the cap 3 and of the sleeve 1 must have the same pitch as the screw threads of the bore 5 and of the outlet portion 7 of the ink tank 8. Further, the arrangement may also be such that a small inwardly projecting edge ,3a of the safety cap 3 engages a corresponding flat annular groove 1a of the sleeve 1, as shown in FIG. 5.

The axial displacements of the ink tank 8 produced by rotation of the safety cap 3 are limited by stop means consisting of a lateral projection 10 of the ink tank 8 and of an opening 11 provided in the wall of a tubular tank holder 12. which in its Width substantially corresponds to that of the projection 10 and in its lengthcorresponds to the maximum stroke of the axially displaceable ink tank 8, i.e. between the outermost and innermost positions of the writing ball 9. I

The tubular tank holder 12 is of a somewhat flexible elastic synthetic material and on its inner surface between its rear end and the opening 11 is provided with a guide groove 13 which enables the ink tank 8 with its lateral projection 10 to be introduced into the tankv holder 12 from the rear end of the latter and with said projection 10 along said groove 13 into the opening 11.

It will be readily appreciated that by virtue of the arangement as above described, the tank holder 12 and the ink tank 8 are duly maintained -in place and the writing ball 9 of the ink tank may be readily displaced to the desired position.

If desired, the rear end of the tank holder 12 may be secured to the sleeve member 1 by providing the rear end portion of said tank holder 12 with external screw threads for engaging corresponding screw threads on the inner wall of the larger portion of said sleeve member 1, as shown in FIG. 6.

It has to be understood that the interconnection of the fountain pen portion A and of the ball point pen portion B may also be carried out with the aid of other mutually engaging means and that such and other changes and amendments are to be considered as falling within the The opening 11 has across sectional area scope of the invention as clearly set forth in the appended claim. I

What we claim is:

A writing utensil, comprising a fountain pen portion and a ball point pen portion, an at least partly screwthreaded sleeve member for removably interconnecting the rear ends of said two pen portions, the fountain pen portion being of substantially known construction and having the rear end of its open tubular casing provided with internal screw threads for engagement by said sleeve, whereas the ball point pen portion comprises an ink tank having an outlet portion of reduced diameter provided in its mouth with a writing ball, external screw threads on said outlet portion and a lateral projection forming a stop member on the body portion of said ink tank, a tubular tank holder containing said ink tank and being provided with a longitudinal opening designed to be engaged by said lateral projection of said ink tank and for limiting axial displacements of the latter and for preventing the ink tank from rotating, said tubular tank holder being made of a somewhat flexible elastic synthetic material and provided with an internal groove connecting the said opening with the rear end of the tank holder for introducing' the ink tank into the tank holder and its lateral projection into said opening, and a safety cap turnably moving on said sleeve member, said safety cap containing said tank holder and having a reinforced front end portion provided with an axial bore and with internal screw threads located in the bore of said reinforced portion for engaging said screw threads on the outlet por tion of said ink tank and for axially displacing the latter by rotation of said safety cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,468,123 9/1923 Miller 120-1 1,523,753 1/1925 Chen 1201 2,565,601 8/1951 Fischer 12042.03

FOREIGN PATENTS 973,950 9/1950 France. 1,177,815 12/1958 France.

702,418 l/ 1954 Great Britain.

490,839 2/1954 Italy.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner. 

